The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released information on October 19, 2011 regarding the Listeria outbreak from contaminated cantaloupes. Jensen Farms located in Colorado was implicated in the outbreak that sickened 123 and resulted in 25 deaths. Luckily for Washington state no infections were identified. Results from the FDA investigation of the facility found 12 contaminated environmental swabs of Listeria monocytogenes. The FDA followed up with an environmental assessment to identify how the melons likely became contaminated with Listeria. Factors likely to contribute to the spread and growth of Listeria were; contamination in the field, cross contamination from a truck used to haul melons to a cattle operation, the design of the packing facility made it difficult to clean and allowed standing water on the floor, and the Farm had no pre-cooling step to decrease heat when the cantaloupes were put into cold storage from the field.
Listeria is a bacteria found in soil and water and animals such as poultry and cattle. It can be present in raw milk and foods made from raw milk. It can also live in food processing plants and contaminate a variety of processed meats. Unlike many other germs, cold temperature does not kill or inhibit growth of Listeria, it's only killed by cooking and pasteurization. Foods most often identified as potential sources for Listeria are unpasteurized dairy products, ready to eat deli meats and spreads, smoked meats and seafood, and raw sprouts.
People most at risk for Listeriosis, an infection caused by Listeria, are children under age five, older adults, adults with compromised immune systems and pregnant women. According to food safety experts, pregnant women are approximately 20 times more likely than other healthy adults to get Listeriosis. In pregnant women, it's typically a mild, flu-like illness, but the Listeriosis can lead to miscarriage, stillbirth, or life-long health problems for the infant. If you are ill with fever or stiff neck, consult your doctor immediately for potential Listeria infection as antibiotics given promptly can cure the infection and if pregnant, may prevent damage to the unborn child.
How to prevent Listerosis:
- Do not drink raw (unpasteurized) milk or eat foods such as cheese that have unpasteurized milk in them.
- Wash hands, knives, countertops, and cutting boards after handling and preparing uncooked foods.
- Rinse raw produce thoroughly under running tap water before cutting or eating. In the case of the melons the listeria was on the outer skin so thorough washing and scrubbing with a produce brush would have helped prevent contamination before the melon was sliced open.
- Keep uncooked meats, poultry, and seafood separate from vegetables, fruits, cooked foods, and ready-to-eat foods.
- Thoroughly cook raw food from animal sources, such as meat, poultry, or seafood to a safe internal temperature.
- Wash hands, knives, countertops, and cutting boards after handling and preparing uncooked foods.
- Consume perishable and ready-to-eat foods as soon as possible.
- Persons in higher risk groups should heat hot dogs, cold cuts, and deli meats before eating them.
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